Girl on bike hit, killed by vehicle

STOCKTON - A 17-year-old girl died Friday after being struck by a car while trying to ride a bicycle across eight lanes of traffic on one of Stockton's busiest streets, authorities said.

Jason Anderson

STOCKTON - A 17-year-old girl died Friday after being struck by a car while trying to ride a bicycle across eight lanes of traffic on one of Stockton's busiest streets, authorities said.

The victim and another person were crossing East Hammer Lane between Tam O'Shanter Drive and West Lane when she was struck by a green, four-door Mercedes sedan driven by a 21-year-old man, police said. The girl was taken to a hospital, where she died of her injuries, authorities said.

"The first thing I thought when I hit her was, 'Oh, my God. I just killed somebody,' " the driver said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was threatened at the scene. "I jumped out of my car to see if she was OK, but she wasn't OK."

The victim's mangled red bicycle, clothing and shoes were still lying beside the road long after she was rushed to a hospital. Authorities closed eastbound traffic on East Hammer Lane for nearly four hours while investigating the accident.

The driver cooperated with the police investigation and remained at the scene for hours after the accident. He was questioned by officers and released. He was not arrested and is not likely to face charges, authorities said.

The driver said he was going home from work when the accident occurred at 1:37 p.m. He said he usually travels another route, but he took East Hammer Lane because he had to stop at a bank on his way home.

The driver said he was going east on East Hammer Lane about 40 mph - the posted speed limit - when he saw the girl and a boy crossing the street between a bustling shopping center and an apartment complex hundreds of feet from the nearest crosswalk. The boy motioned to the girl to "hurry up," but the girl froze momentarily and then tried to turn her bicycle back toward the sidewalk, the driver said.

"There were cars next to me, so I couldn't swerve left. I could only go right," the driver said. "I was thinking, 'She's not going to move,' but then she moved. I swerved, and then she swerved right in front of my car."

The girl hit the driver's windshield and was thrown several feet onto the sidewalk when he applied his brakes, the driver said.

The driver said the boy who crossed the street ahead of the girl ran from the scene when the accident occurred. Moments later, two cars arrived carrying six people, including the victim's mother, the driver said.

"She said, 'Whoever was driving this car will see what's going to happen - they're going to get it,' " the driver said.

The driver was joined at the scene by his parents, who expressed concern for the victim and periodically asked for updates on her condition.

"We're praying for the little girl," said the driver's father, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he feared for his son's safety. "We just hope she survives."